Best of Arlington 2015

Shopping

Best Kids’ Shoes

Bradshaw’s Children’s Shoes

It’s a fall afternoon, and Jackie Blumenthal is showing off one of the newest arrivals on her store’s shelves—a Frozen-themed sneaker, featuring Princess Elsa on one side and her sister, Anna, on the other. The owner of Bradshaw’s Children’s Shoes makes a point of staying on top of current trends (the store carries Uggs, Crocs, Jambu and other well-known brands, along with accessories and selected clothing), but her first concern is that the shoes are high quality and a good value.

“It pains us to see a child wearing shoes that don’t fit properly,” she says. “You only have one set of feet.” To avoid this common problem, the store is equipped with an AetrexiStep Wave machine, which provides ultra-accurate readings of foot sizes and shapes.

Bradshaw’s began as a family shoe store in 1834 (yes, 1834) in Alexandria, making it one of the oldest shoe stores in the country. The business has been located in the Lee Heights Shops for more than 20 years, ever since it narrowed its focus to children’s shoes. “Our goal,” Blumenthal says, “is to give children well-fitting shoes that will literally give them a good foundation.”